The Light

__________________________

By: Loy A. Webb

Working Draft N - January 8, 2018

 ii.

Cast of Characters

Genesis, an African-American woman, natural hair early to mid 30s.

Rashad, an African-American man, early to mid 30s.

Time

In A Time Where We Need To Do Better

Place

A Hyde Park Condo

 iii.

Special Notes:

The most important stage direction is the final one given to

GENESIS on the last page of the script. Her ultimate choice is
physical and not verbal, and therefore, it is important that it is
followed exactly as written and done clear enough where the
audience sees that choice.

Moments and Pauses - mentioned in the script, should be extended

silences where emotional moments are conveyed without words. All
silences should be filled with some unspoken emotion, not just
simply silence. Please note, "a moment" is a longer silence than a
pause.

Please be aware that GENESIS and RASHAD's banter and jokes,

particularly in the beginning, is rooted in purely love and jest.
With that said, it should be conveyed that way. It is an
opportunity to have fun with these people. Not portray them as
having anger or hostility towards each other. This is simply their
way of being.

Nola Ade is pronounced - Nola Ah-Day

KASHIF is pronounced Kah-Sheef

SCENE I

AT RISE: Nola Adé - COOL plays

from a phone hooked up to
speakers. GENESIS’s Condo. She
has created the elegant, glam and
cozy environment on a budget.
Downstage center is the living
room. An elegant plush couch,
filled with equally elegant plush
and sparkly pillows. Out of place
is a raggedy little girl's
blanket hanging off. A coffee
table sits on a plush area rug.
Candles on stands and roses in
vases are placed perfectly on the
table. Stage left the kitchen and
counter with stools. Stage right
a book shelf with various African
art pieces, educator awards she
has won throughout the years, and
books that show she is cultured
in both a history of black
culture and the world at large.
Her walls are adorned with
beautiful paintings that showcase
beautiful, resilient and strong
African-American women. Images
that might say they have been
through the ringer but made it
out alive. RASHAD is hurriedly
hiding some items for his
surprise later. A rumbling of
keys can be heard. He rushes to
turn off the music. He falls,
grabs the little girl’s blanket
off the couch and pretends like
he’s folding it on the floor.
GENESIS enters.
 2.

RASHAD
Hey sunshine.

GENESIS
What are you doing?

RASHAD is folding the blanket

horribly. Like he can’t get it at
all.

RASHAD
Cleaning. Can’t a man clean for his woman?

GENESIS
Rashad you don’t clean your own house. Mama Joyce does.

RASHAD
And?

GENESIS
And I know you ain’t had an epiphany to clean mine.

RASHAD
See there you go. A man tryna show his woman he appreciate
her.

GENESIS
Oh god.

RASHAD
Make her load lighter.

GENESIS
Now I know you lying.

RASHAD
And you up here downing him. See that’s the problem with
black women. Don’t know how to appreciate the black man.
 3.

GENESIS
And the problem with “the black man” is they don’t do what
you asked them to until they either, -a- did something wrong
or - b- want something. Which motivated you?

RASHAD
You ain’t right.

GENESIS
Been here since I left for work now you wanna miraculously
“clean”.

RASHAD
You know what, I don’t have to put up with this emotional
abuse. I know my worth. Fold your own blanket.

GENESIS
Don’t be rough handling this fool.

GENESIS takes it dramatically

gently away from him. Like any
sudden move could damage it.

RASHAD
You and this blanket.

GENESIS
Yes me and this blanket. What about it?

RASHAD
I will never understand your attachment to that thing. Always
folding and refolding it.

GENESIS
I told you I have OCD. I can’t control it.

RASHAD
Okay but the thing is raggedy. It belongs in the trash. Stop
being a hoarder.

GENESIS
Don’t mind me and my blanket. This I need. You I don’t. Now
shut up.
 4.

GENESIS hits him playfully with the

blanket, then sits the blanket on
the couch.

RASHAD
I’m bout sick of you two task masters bossing me around.

GENESIS
Two?

RASHAD
Yeah Munch. She think she a mini you. The other day I come in
from shift at the firehouse. Mind you I’m dog tired. Only
thing I’m thinking bout is the bed. I take off my coat, set
my bag down, head to my room. When I feel a tap.

GENESIS
A tap?

RASHAD
She point to my wrist talking bout some, “Pop-Pop where yo
bracelet?”

RASHAD fiddles with a pink bead

bracelet with flower and butterfly
charms. It looks like a little
girls bracelet.

RASHAD
I say, “It’s on my dresser.” She say, “I made it to protect
you from the fire. Not be on yo dresser. Go get it.” I said,
“Excuse you?” She put her little hands on her hips and rolled
her neck, “You heard me.” I must’ve bent down where we were
eye to eye. Put my deep daddy authoritative voice on.

GENESIS
Authoritative voice huh?

RASHAD
The one that’s the equivalent of the black mama look when she
ain’t playing games. You know the look.
 5.

GENESIS
Oh I know the look.

RASHAD
I said, “Lil girl do you pay bills in this sucka?” She say,
“No.” I said, “Then you don’t get to tell me what to do. I’m
your daddy. You ain’t mine. Now watch who you talking to.”

GENESIS
Then what you do?

RASHAD
Talking bout some what did I do. What else would a man do in
a house he bought and paid for?

GENESIS
Put it on.

RASHAD
You see it ain’t left my wrist.

GENESIS
I taught my babygirl well.

GENESIS
She 5 going on 55 Gen. Seem like yesterday her mama left her
on my door step. She looking at me with them big brown eyes,
like who the heck is you? And I’m looking at her with the
same expression like, nah lil girl who the heck is you? Us
both trying to figure out what we gon do with each other.
Four years later she talkin’ bout some, “you heard me.” Ain’t
that something?

GENESIS
Leave Amaya alone.

RASHAD
I’mma leave her alone alright. Next months bills going right
in her hands.

GENESIS
You love it.
 6.

GENESIS goes to get a Halloween

sized bag of chocolate out the
kitchen and begins to eat it.

RASHAD
I do. She never ceases to amaze me. She smarter than a whip.
Know all her states. Can tell you bout any dinosaur every
existed. Know all the presidents. Say you taught her all
that. Say y’all go over facts while I’m at work. And I thank
you Gen. Hell, only president I know is Barack Obama and
that’s for obvious reasons.

GENESIS
Why are you this way?

GENESIS is tearing up this bag of

chocolate.

RASHAD
But fareal baby, you’ve been a blessing in both our lives.
Specially mine. Before you I used to wonder why relationships
we had high hopes in fell away. But I learned that ain’t
nothing but life pruning us. Just as it would a tree. Cutting
out all the old, damaged and diseased folk that don’t belong,
making room for the ones that do. Or in my case, “one.” Which
is you.

GENESIS laughs at him while eating

chocolate.

RASHAD
Really?

GENESIS
I’m sorry.

RASHAD
I pour my heart out and you laugh?

GENESIS
I laughed because this is so suspect Shad. You were one Drake
lyric away from singing.
 7.

RASHAD
How is a man reflecting on his love for his lady suspect?

GENESIS
When have you ever “reflected” unless it was talking about
your college football glory days?

RASHAD
See this is exactly why brotha’s don’t share they feelings.
Cause when we do, y’all don’t take us serious. You ain’t
gotta worry about it no mo.

GENESIS says below line with mouth

full of chocolate.

GENESIS
Oh please, stop being a drama king.

RASHAD stale faces GENESIS.

GENESIS
What are you looking at?

RASHAD
This is the second time this week you damn near ate a whole
bag of chocolate.

GENESIS
I have a sweet tooth.

RASHAD
That’s more than a tooth. You came locked and loaded for a
full meal.

GENESIS
Chocolate has health benefits you know.

RASHAD
Not if you eating the whole damn bag.

GENESIS
Fine. I’m done.
 8.

GENESIS puts the chocolate up. But

before she does she pops another
one. RASHAD looks at her.

GENESIS
After this one.

RASHAD
You have no shame.

GENESIS
Babe, you know how on Fridays I rotate between eating lunch
with my 6-8 graders?

RASHAD
Yeah.

GENESIS
Well this week was my eighth graders. And honey all those
babies, the boys in particular, wanted to talk about was the
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor fight. My God, you woulda
thought Floyd was paying these babies the way they was hyping
him up. “49 and 0 bout to be 50 and 0 baby,” they kept
yelling. I’m like okay, okay, calm down yall. I get it. “49
and 0 bout to be 50 and 0.”

RASHAD
Ahh Gen, they just excited.

GENESIS
I don’t mind them being excited. I want them to be. Just not
over no Floyd. Then here go one of my babies. “Principal
Washington Floyd’s my hero. I wanna be great as him. You
think I can?” And I said “yes baby, you can be greater.” And
my baby’s eyes started smiling through them thick glasses.
Dark brown cheeks aglow. Dimples bigger than life. He popped
his collar and did a strut so the other boys knew, “Principal
Washington said I’mma be as great as Floyd “Money” Mayweather
y’all.” I just cracked up.

RASHAD
So what’s wrong with it?
 9.

GENESIS
I just started thinking about Floyd’s son. He wasn’t too much
older than them when he had to jump a fence to save his
mother. Ten. Ten watching your father, whose hands are
registered weapons by the way, beat your mother to a pulp.
How am I gonna tell my babies, that’s somebodies champ? That
he’s somebody they should strive to be?

RASHAD
Gen you over-thinking. They too young to even think about
that.

GENESIS
But these seeds are planted young Shad. Otherwise they grow
up like the idiots on Instagram and Twitter after every Floyd
fight like, “Let Floyd be the champ. Y’all always trying to
bring a black man down talking about his past.”

RASHAD
Gen, everybody know Floyd’s an idiot. Fool can’t even read.
You heard him on the breakfast club radio show? Couldn’t say
his own name. He up there like...

RASHAD imitates Floyd on the

breakfast club.

RASHAD
My name is F-f-f-f-loyd Marwea-th-th-th-th.

GENESIS
You are so silly. But I just feel a little guilty I didn’t
tell them about Muhammad Ali instead. I wanted to say, “Look
my beautiful Black kings I know y’all love Floyd. He’s a
great fighter in the ring. But let me tell y’all about
Muhammad Ali. See Muhammad was great not just in the ring,
but out of it. And that’s what I want y’all to strive for.”
But I saw my baby’s eyes smiling through them glasses. Heard
my babies yelling that “49 and 0 bout to be 50 and 0” victory
chant, and I just couldn’t break their enthusiasm.
 10.

RASHAD
Ahh Gen, don’t trip off that. You have a greater influence on
them than Floyd ever will. What principal makes it their
mission to not just know names and faces, but build
relationships with each and every one their students? What
principal steps in to tutor students themselves when they
don’t get it? Buy clothes for the kids. Supplies. Food.
Whatever they need, even if it’s against policy?

RASHAD grabs an award from the

bookshelf.

RASHAD
Outstanding Educator of The Year Award. You got this because
of who?

GENESIS
My students.

RASHAD
Over 70 students wrote essays on why you were a wonderful
principal. Hell, I save people from burning buildings and I
can’t get 1 thank you. Let alone 70.

GENESIS
You are so silly.

RASHAD
Them gremlins gon long forget about Floyd. But you baby, 20
years from now, they gon remember your impact. Mark my words.

GENESIS
Thank you baby, I needed that.

RASHAD
Good right?

GENESIS
Yes, very good.

RASHAD
Cool. I only said all that cause I wanted some booty. So when
that’s happening, now or later?
 11.

RASHAD playfully jumps on GENESIS

kissing all over her. GENESIS
playfully pushes him away.

GENESIS
What are we doing today fool?

RASHAD
Today?

GENESIS
Yes today.

RASHAD
What’s today?

GENESIS
Rashad don’t play with me.

RASHAD
I’m serious. What’s today?

GENESIS
Don’t try to be funny.

RASHAD
I’m not. It ain’t your birthday. That’s in May.

GENESIS
You’re dismissed.

RASHAD
May 19 right?

GENESIS
If I have to remind you, you don’t need to know.

RASHAD
Ah don’t be like that Gen.

RASHAD tries to kiss her. She moves

her face out the way.
 12.

RASHAD
So you not gon tell me?

GENESIS
...

RASHAD
So you just gon give me the black mama look?

GENESIS
...

RASHAD
You got a booger in your nose.

GENESIS
Goodbye Rashad. And don’t come back here until you--

RASHAD
What? Remember our anniversary?

RASHAD smirks.

GENESIS
You are so annoying.

RASHAD
What important date I ever missed Gen?

GENESIS
You play entirely too much.

RASHAD
Naw, you just have zero faith in your man.

GENESIS
Yeah, yeah. Where’s my gift?

RASHAD
Your gift?
 13.

GENESIS
Yes. I won’t believe you actually remembered until I see some
gifts. You are not to be trusted.

RASHAD
Naw, you ain’t to be trusted. Where my gift? It’s my
anniversary too.

GENESIS
Oh I have a gift. Two gifts in fact. Because I actually
remembered.

RASHAD
Show me then.

GENESIS
Same time.

RASHAD
Ain’t no same time. I want to see my gift, so I know it’s
real.

GENESIS
Don’t use a me on me.

RASHAD
I can do whatever I want. Show me the gift dammit.

GENESIS
Did you buy me a gift?

RASHAD
Yes I did.

GENESIS
Then why you can’t go first?

RASHAD
Mines is better.

GENESIS
I doubt it.
 14.

RASHAD
Just show me the gift woman. For I take mine and leave fareal
this time.

GENESIS
Fine.

GENESIS exits. RASHAD quickly grabs

the thing he hid earlier and put
them in his pockets. He is clearly
nervous. GENESIS re-enters.

GENESIS
Did you really remember today was our anniversary?

RASHAD
How many times we gon’ go through this? Yes.

GENESIS
Gift 1.

GENESIS tries to hand it to him.

RASHAD reaches for it, but she
snatches it away.

GENESIS
I know you think I hate football. Which I do. It’s sexist.
Misogynistic. The players have no necks and look like slow
idiots running into other grown ass men for fun. Th--

RASHAD
I get it.

GENESIS
I said all that to say, regardless of my personal feelings, I
know you love it. I know you would give anything to be on
that field. And I can’t give you your dream back, but I can
at least get you a season pass to watch the game you love.

GENESIS hands him the gift.

RASHAD
Aww baby, you ain’t have to do that.
 15.

GENESIS
No you work hard and deserve that time to enjoy yourself,
without being stuck up under me and Munch all day.

RASHAD
And this is why you’re amazing. Love you so much.

GENESIS
Love you more.

They share a quick kiss.

RASHAD
Now gift 2.

GENESIS
You’re not getting gift 2 until I see my gifts.

RASHAD
Give me 20 minutes I gotta get it from Dollar Tree.

GENESIS
You know what...

RASHAD
I’m joking baby. Calm down. Damn. You remember how we met?

GENESIS
Boy do I remember.

RASHAD
I was standing outside the school, minding my business,
tending to my daughter. I look over. Just a quick glance
over and I see this chick damn near foaming at the mouth over
my ripped and tight body.

GENESIS
I’m sorry your ripped and tight what?
 16.

RASHAD
Don’t play me Genesis. I might not be there now, cause you be
cooking all this good food as a ploy to ruin my body so I
won’t be attractive to other women.

GENESIS
Oh my God.

RASHAD
But make no mistake, when you met me I was ripped and tight.

RASHAD makes some gestures to

indicate he was ripped and tight.

GENESIS
The only thing ripped and tight on you was them distressed
skinny jeans you had on sir.

RASHAD
First of all, first of all, let’s make something clear. I
don’t wear skinny jeans. Nor have I ever bought or owned a
pair of skinny jeans.

GENESIS
That’s not what your legs were saying boo, boo when they was
trying to escape from them tight ass jeans.

RASHAD
If you cared to know the truth, you would know my moms washed
my clothes that day, they shrunk, and I grabbed the first
thing I saw cause I was rushing.

GENESIS
If you say so.

RASHAD
Don’t turn this on me. We were talking about you and your
morally corrupt ways.

GENESIS
Morally corrupt?
 17.

RASHAD
Call yourself somebody principal and you bending all down
seductively in front of me. Acting like you was trying to
talk to Munch. Looking back making sure I could see the view
like Loretta Devine in Waiting To Exhale. I peeped you girl.
I peeped you.

GENESIS
You just told on yourself. I’m sitting up here on the first
day of school greeting students. As a principal should. I see
a little girl hysterically crying. You had my babies hair
sticking straight up like Alfalfa from the Little Rascals.
Got her in mix-match socks. I go over to calm her and--

RASHAD
Or was that your excuse?

GENESIS
Excuse for what?

RASHAD
Holla at her fine ass daddy.

GENESIS
Boy if you don’t get cho behind on. I’m trying to calm her
down, because she thinks starting school for the first time
is terrifying. Meanwhile, you’re being a perv staring at my
ass.

RASHAD
Perv? Wasn’t nobody no perv. I was obeying the law.

GENESIS
The what fool?

RASHAD
The law. You put an ass that big in front of me, it’s illegal
not to look. And you know what happens to brothas who look
like me when we don’t obey the law. I’m just trying to stay
alive.
 18.

GENESIS
Boy bye. Don’t be trying to distract me from what you really
supposed to be doing which is getting my gifts.

RASHAD
Stop being a gold digger.

GENESIS
Excuse me? You’re in my condo boo. That I bought and paid
for.

RASHAD
Cause you a strong independent black woman who don’t need no
man huh?

GENESIS
Just know fool, the only gold I want from you, is the one
that goes right here.

GENESIS points to her ring finger.

RASHAD
You mean the thumb?

GENESIS
You see what finger I’m pointing to fool.

RASHAD
The index?

GENESIS
I know this time next year, this finger better see some gold.
Or...

RASHAD
Or what?

GENESIS
You getting the boot.

RASHAD
You just gon’ kick me to the curb like that? All we been
through.
 19.

GENESIS
Shad, stop playing with me. We already discussed this. Next
year. Ring. This finger.

RASHAD
We’ll see.

GENESIS
Ain’t no we’ll see.

RASHAD
I said we’ll see. Between now and next year I can meet Serena
Williams, she leave that white boy, we fall in love. Then
I’ll give you the boot.

GENESIS
Please Serena don’t want you. And the only reason I do, is
because I’m over 30 and desperate.

RASHAD is not amused. GENESIS

laughs and tries to hug him.

GENESIS
I’m joking baby.

RASHAD
Nah. The tongue speaks what the heart feels.

GENESIS
Stop being sensitive and lets get back on point. Gifts.

RASHAD
You remember our first date?

GENESIS
Why do you stay trying to deflect from the gifts?

RASHAD
No just answer. You remember?

GENESIS
Yes.
 20.

RASHAD
What was it?

GENESIS
We went to see Nola Adé at The Shrine.

RASHAD
All I remember was walking in The Shrine, smelling nothing
but cocoa butter and coconut oil. That’s how you know black
women in the building when you smell cocoa butter or coconut
oil.

GENESIS
You are so ignorant.

RASHAD
I’m trying to look at the stage but y’all twist outs, braids
outs and wash-n-gos blocking the damn view.

GENESIS
Respect the mane.

RASHAD
Oh I respects the mane. Ain’t nothing wrong with it. Only God
himself can create hair that beautiful where it sits closer
to him. And you remember what happened when she started
singing Cool?

GENESIS is heavily blushing

remembering.

GENESIS
Yes.

RASHAD cuts on Nola Adé- Cool. He

grabs GENESIS’s hand to dance.

RASHAD
We danced like we were the only two in that room. Remember?

GENESIS
Yes.
 21.

GENESIS and RASHAD dance to their

song recreating the moment. Then at
a point in the middle of the song,
RASHAD brings her back down to
earth by staring in her eyes. He
kisses her deeply and passionately.
RASHAD turns the music off.

RASHAD
How long ago was that?

GENESIS
Two years.

RASHAD
That kiss.

GENESIS RASHAD
Us. Us.

Rashad pulls out an envelope and

hands it to her.

GENESIS
What is it?

RASHAD
You gotta open it. Here use the letter opener.

GENESIS
Why?

RASHAD
To preserve what’s in there. We gon wanna keep it forever.

RASHAD hands her a letter opener.

GENESIS
You got us tickets to go on that cruise to Barcelona we were
talking about?

RASHAD
Nope.
 22.

GENESIS shakes the envelope.

RASHAD
What you shaking it for?

GENESIS
Trying to see if it gives me a clue.

RASHAD
Woman just open it.

GENESIS
Okay, okay.

GENESIS slowly opens the envelope

and pulls out a hand-written
letter.

RASHAD
Read it.

GENESIS reads it silently to

herself.

RASHAD
Out loud.

GENESIS
Dear Gen,

I am a man with a sizable appetite. I’ll eat your plate, my

plate, then go home and eat some more. My daughter always
says, “Pop-Pop, I don’t see how all that fits in your belly.”
I don’t either. But it does and I never seem to get full. And
you know that confused me until tonight. You see tonight, I
realized this entire time I was feeding my body, all the
while unconsciously neglecting my soul.

My soul was starving. It was starving for a woman whose

magnetic smile could fill all the crevices left in my life by
sadness, hurt and disappointment, with joy.
 23.

It was starving for a woman whose intelligence could inspire

me to pick up more books about politics, history, art, the
plight of our people in America and the world at large, just
so I could keep up with her brilliance.

It was starving for a woman whose gentle touch could awaken

the parts in me that no longer wanted to just survive. But
live life with such a sense of vigor, passion, and urgency
that went beyond survival to thrive.

And as Nola Adé’s - Cool echoed throughout The Shrine...

RASHAD GENESIS
“I’ve met a lot of people, “I’ve met a lot people, never
never ever met no-one like ever met no-one like you.”
you.”

GENESIS
I leaned down and kissed you. And it was then I realized this
entire time the woman my soul was starving for Genesis, was
you. And if you're reading this now it means that my soul has
been full since that day, and I want your presence to nourish
me for my entire life.

RASHAD
What’s the postmark date on the letter?

GENESIS looks.

GENESIS
The day after the concert.

RASHAD gets on one knee in front of

GENESIS and pulls out a ring box.

GENESIS
Oh my God. Oh my God.
 24.

RASHAD
Went home after the concert, wrote and mailed that letter to
myself the next day. I know we said next year, but I’ve seen
all I need to see to know I want to spend my forever with
you. Genesis Marie Washington, would you marry me?

GENESIS
You serious?

RASHAD
Nah, I’m joking. Yes I’m serious.

GENESIS is filled with emotion.

GENESIS
Yes. Yes.

He puts the ring on her finger and

RASHAD stands up and they embrace.

GENESIS
I have no words. Like...

GENESIS is caught up in her

emotions she can’t speak.

RASHAD
Yes is enough. Happy Anniversary baby.

GENESIS
You are just so...

GENESIS grabs him into an embrace

and kisses all over his face
excitedly.

GENESIS
I love you. I love you. I love you.

RASHAD laughs at her excitement.

 25.

RASHAD
Aight Gen. Love you too.

GENESIS
This is far better than any gift I could’ve ever thought of.

RASHAD
There’s more.

GENESIS
There’s more?

RASHAD
Yup. Now for this surprise I pulled a couple strings with my
peoples.

GENESIS
Your peoples?

RASHAD
In high places.

GENESIS
Oh aren’t you important. And who are these peoples?

RASHAD
Don’t worry about it. Just know tonight...

RASHAD pulls out another envelope.

RASHAD
I got us tickets to see Nola Adé at--

GENESIS totally freaks out.

RASHAD
Damn, you screaming louder for her than the ring.

GENESIS
Sorry baby. I love her. She’s my fav. Oh my God, what am I
going to wear, my hair is a mess, my nails aren’t done. You
can’t just drop this on me.
 26.

GENESIS exits into her bedroom.

RASHAD
You trying to marry her or me?

GENESIS (OFFSTAGE)
Shut up. Where is it? I wanna know what to wear.

RASHAD
Union Park.

GENESIS peeks her head out.

GENESIS
Union Park?

RASHAD
Yeah she’s performing at the “Heal The Chi” concert hosted by
Ka--

GENESIS re-enters.

GENESIS
Kashif.

RASHAD
Yeah. Some of everybody gon’ be there Chance, Common, Jamila
Woods , BJ The Chicago Kid, Tink. It’s Kashif’s way of
brining the city together through all this violence.

GENESIS
I know the purpose of the concert.

RASHAD
You hate his music. I know. But he’s a small part.

GENESIS
Small part? It’s his concert Shad. How is that a small part?

RASHAD
Cause it’s not about him. It’s about bringing the city
together in the midst of all this tragedy. Vibing to good
music. Eating good food. They gon’ have all the Chicago eats.
 27.

Maxwell’s Italian Beef, Dipped. Sweet and Hot Peppers.

Harold’s Chicken. Now you know you can’t turn down a six
piece with mild sauce, fries, salt and pepper. Fried hard.

GENESIS
While that sounds appetizing, no.

RASHAD
Nola Adé is performing Genesis. These tickets give us
backstage access.

GENESIS
I don’t care Shad. If Kashif is there, I don’t want to go.
Nola wasn’t even on the list of people performing.

RASHAD
Which makes this so great. I told my boy Rodney I was gonna
propose. Told him our first date. He said his brother worked
at the radio station co-hosting it, and told him Nola was
gonna be a surprise guest. I tried to get tickets but by that
time they was sold out. But his brother came through in a
major way.

GENESIS
And I’m appreciative baby.

RASHAD
But you don’t want to go?

GENESIS
No.

RASHAD

Your feelings that strong?

GENESIS
Yes.

RASHAD
One night, you can’t put whatever it is you got against him
aside?
 28.

GENESIS
Baby listen, I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m extremely
grateful you took time to think through this day. We all know
thinking is not your ministry.

RASHAD
Real funny.

GENESIS
But I can’t support Kashif. Let’s do something else. Oooo
they put an indoor skydiving place up in Lincoln Park.
Remember we wanted to do that?

RASHAD doesn’t respond.

GENESIS

We can even do a simple dinner. Wanna go to NIU (pronounced

NEW) Japanese Fusion Lounge by AMC River East? That place was
super nice remember?

RASHAD
Gen, the average ticket for this was 100 dollars.

GENESIS
Okay.

RASHAD
Okay and somebody gave us these tickets for free. Not just
regular tickets, but VIP tickets, which run between $300 and
$500 dollars.

GENESIS
And I will give you every dime back baby, I promise.

RASHAD
I don’t want the money Gen. I want the memories. On our
engagement night. Grooving to Nola. Me holding you close. Us
laughing and joking about old times. Us plotting new ones.
 29.

GENESIS
Ah baby I know it would be beautiful. I know. But I can’t.
How about we call Rodney’s brother and see if he can give the
tickets to somebody else while we figure out what to do?

RASHAD
No. That’s gon make me look bad Gen. He already pulled hella
strings.

GENESIS
Not if we say an emergency came up. People understand things
happen.

RASHAD
Baby, baby, baby. Let me see if I can explain this to you. It
took a lot for me to plan this engagement. And we both know I
ain’t no planner. But I was determined to make today perfect
for you.

GENESIS
I don’t doubt that.

RASHAD
And I ain’t just start planning yesterday. I planned way,
way, way in advance. Like six months ago. Back then I started
working overtime. 24 hour shifts back to back. Just to afford
you that $10,000 dollar ring you rocking. Cause we all know
how you women are if the ring ain’t right.

GENESIS
I would’ve accepted any ring. It’s the thought not the price.

RASHAD
You say it’s the thought not the price. Then if the ring
ain’t right, you’d be dogging me to your friends. “Unh-Unh,
Unh-Unh gurl. This nigga got me fucked up trying to propose
to me with this cracker jack box ass ring.”

GENESIS
First off, I don’t talk like that.
 30.

RASHAD
Not all the time. But every now and again, that Englewood
creep up out cha.

GENESIS
Whatever.

RASHAD
And I wasn’t trying to deal with 73rd and Peoria Gen, so I
did what I needed to do, to get you that beautiful ring. Then
I went to your father and mother to get their blessing. You
already know who gave me a hard time.

GENESIS
Daddy.

RASHAD
Exactly, but I wasn’t going to make this move without yo mama
and Forest Whitakers approval. You know I get scared when he
stare at me with that dead eye.

GENESIS
You know what?

GENESIS playfully hits him.

RASHAD
So I finally convinced him and got his approval. Then after
that, I begged and bribed Rodney’s brother every single day
for these tickets because I know how much you love Nola.

GENESIS
I’m not taking any of this for granted baby.

RASHAD
That’s not what its seeming like. And I tell you Gen, I
almost died during this process.

GENESIS
Died?
 31.

RASHAD
Yes died. I don’t know if you know this, but I got a weak
heart. And this whole thing practically sent me into cardiac
arrest. Wondering was I making the right decision? Would this
be perfect? Would you say no? The pearly gates was calling
Gen. They was calling.

GENESIS
I’m sorry you almost went home to glory. And I appreciate
every bit of effort you put into today. This is literally one
of the best days of my life. But I can’t go Shad. I just
can’t.

RASHAD
Come on Gen, why?

GENESIS
I told you already I hate his music. It’s disrespectful to
black women and I don’t want to spend my special night around
him or that toxicity.

RASHAD
I don’t see why you keep saying that.

GENESIS
Saying what?

RASHAD
His music is disrespectful to black women. It’s not. His
music is about police brutality. Racism. Poverty. A fucked up
government. These are issues we all face.

GENESIS
Not according to Kashif. He acts as if only black men go
through it. And any time he mentions black women it’s in a
negative light. Warning black men to stay away from us,
because we want to use them, trap them, ruin them, or can’t
take care of our kids.
 32.

RASHAD
And Beyonce, Mary J Blige, and Keyshia Cole don’t make songs
about how no good men are?

GENESIS
It’s not the same.

RASHAD
Why? Cause they in yo rotation?

GENESIS
No, because it’s the truth. Half y’all ain’t no good.

RASHAD
Oh, but when Sheef tell our side he wrong?

GENESIS
Pretty much. Because he resorts to inaccurate stereotypes.
Acting like all single black mothers are welfare queens, or
obsessed with being Instagram Models instead of getting an
education.

RASHAD
Gen, while you may not be like that. Thank God. It’s a lot of
trifling thots out here. Case and point Munch’s mama.

GENESIS
That was an isolated incident.

RASHAD
So it’s an isolated incident to date me knowing you married,
I break up with you because I have enough respect for myself
to not be somebody’s fucking side piece, a year later you pop
up talking about I got a daughter, and not only that...

GENESIS
(overlap at not.)
Here we go.

RASHAD
Your husband’s job is leaving and you gotta leave Munch here
to save your marriage.
 33.

GENESIS
Like I said that was an isolated incident.

RASHAD
That ain’t no isolated incident. More brother’s go through
trifling shit with women than you think. Y’all ain’t angels.
And so just like y’all get hype when Beyonce out here,
“Middle fingers up, Tell him, Boy, bye.” We listen to Sheef
to remind us we ain’t the only niggas going through this shit
too. Can we have our “Girl Bye” moment for once?

GENESIS
Wait you listen to his music?

RASHAD
Uh yeah.

GENESIS
I asked you not to play his music.

RASHAD
And I don’t. Around you.

GENESIS
I meant period.

RASHAD
I’m not some little boy Gen. You can’t tell me what I can and
cannot listen to.

GENESIS gets his phone and scrolls

through.

RASHAD
What are you doing?

GENESIS
You literally have all four of his albums on your phone.

RASHAD
How is it hurting you on my phone? You told me you didn’t
like his music, I never played it around you again. But what
I listen to by myself is my business.
 34.

GENESIS
Me saying don’t listen to it should have been enough for you
to respect that.

GENESIS puts his phone down in a

huff.

RASHAD
Gen I’mma be honest. I feel like I’ve been stifling part of
myself. I’m a grown ass man. I shouldn’t be looking around
the corner like, “here she come, turn it off.” If you don’t
like Sheef’s music fine. But I do. And you shouldn’t put
those types of restrictions on me. How we supposed to be
tight and you not understand that?

GENESIS
How are we supposed to be tight and you not respect my
wishes?

A moment. They stare at each other

for a minute. GENESIS is definitely
not happy. RASHAD accepts defeat.

RASHAD
You know what, this is going way left. I’mma just call my boy
Mil and take him. Hopefully when I come back, things will be
better.

RASHAD gets his phone and dials a

number. He puts the phone to his
ear.

RASHAD
Ey, what up man? Nothing much. Listen I got--

GENESIS snatches his phone from his

ear.

RASHAD
Are you crazy?

GENESIS
I said you shouldn’t be going to that concert.
 35.

RASHAD tries to calm down his anger

that is starting to boil.

RASHAD
Gen give me my phone.

GENESIS
Promise me you’re not going to that concert.

RASHAD
Genesis, I’m trying to be cool. Give me my phone.

GENESIS
I said promise me.

RASHAD
You wanna do something afterward, fine. But I’m not wasting
nobody’s money. I’ve done everything I could possibly do to
get you to go, you don’t want to. That’s on you. But I’m
going. End of story. Give me my phone.

A moment. GENESIS hands him his

phone. RASHAD takes it and re-dials
the number.

RASHAD
Hey Mil sorry about that. I don’t know what happened. I was
going to invite you to--

GENESIS
He’s a hypocrite.

RASHAD
A what?

GENESIS
A hypocrite. And I can’t support someone who doesn’t live
what they preach.

RASHAD
(into phone.) Hey man, let me call you back. Sorry bout all
this back and forth.
 36.

RASHAD hangs up.

RASHAD
How is he a hypocrite?

GENESIS
His whole “conscious” persona is a facade.

RASHAD
Did y’all date or something?

GENESIS
Ugh, no.

RASHAD
Then how do you know he’s a hypocrite?

GENESIS
Uh duh, I went to college with him. I think I would know.

RASHAD
But baby in college, you not gon’ be perfect. I know I
wasn’t. That was 10, 11 years ago. I’m sure he’s matured
since then.

GENESIS
I highly doubt it.

RASHAD
Gen, everything about Sheef screams love for his community
and people. All he does is use his platform for good. Nobody
else speaks out about the violence in the city the way he
does.

GENESIS
And?

RASHAD
And, nobody else buying textbooks for schools in the hood.

GENESIS
And?
 37.

RASHAD
And, donating millions of their own money to creating summer
jobs to help keep kids off the street. Opening shelters for
single mothers all over the city.

GENESIS
It’s for show Shad. It’s not genuine.

RASHAD
You can fake a lot of things. But you can’t fake the type of
man Sheef is. That brotha got four platinum albums. Up there
with Cole and Kendrick. He can say the hell with Chicago.
But you know what he did? Went back to school to get a Law
Degree and MBA, just to use his education to help out poor
folks in the city.

GENESIS
Just because the message is righteous doesn’t mean the
messenger is Shad.

RASHAD
And you sure y’all ain’t date?

GENESIS
No. I do not want Kashif. Why do you keep asking me that?

RASHAD
Because most of the time when women go this hard on a dude,
it’s because of a relationship gone wrong. And I love you
baby, but you sounding a wee-bit like a bitter ex.

Pause. GENESIS is shocked he would

say that.

GENESIS
Wow.

RASHAD
That came out wrong.
 38.

GENESIS takes deep breaths to calm

her nerves, while unfolding and
refolding the blanket. RASHAD goes
over to her.

RASHAD
I ain’t mean it like that.

GENESIS
Don’t touch me.

RASHAD
All I’m saying is if you dated dude, you ain’t got to keep
that from me. I ain’t tripping off that. The past is the
past.

GENESIS
We did not date. Trust me.

RASHAD
Did he do something to you then?

GENESIS
No.

RASHAD
Then what could you possibly have against this man?

GENESIS
He’s a rapist! There. I said it.

RASHAD
A what?

GENESIS
You heard me.

RASHAD
Where you hear that at?

GENESIS
It happened while we were in college.
 39.

RASHAD
Fareal?

GENESIS
Yes. Now do you see why I refuse to support him. How is he
gonna be some “brother do good”, but he’s out here raping
women. You can’t do “good” for the community, yet hurt the
women who reside in that community. That’s not freedom
fighting, that’s comedy. Strike that. Comedy gives it too
much dignity. Buffoonery is more befitting.

RASHAD
Who did he rape?

GENESIS
This girl on campus.

RASHAD
He ever arrested or...

GENESIS

No.

RASHAD
And you know this for sure. That he...

GENESIS
Yes.

A moment.

RASHAD
Why was he never arrested?

GENESIS
What?

RASHAD
You said you know he did this for sure. But you mentioned he
wasn’t arrested. Why?
 40.

GENESIS
She never came forward.

RASHAD
Then how do you know?

GENESIS
She told me.

RASHAD
Was he ever disciplined by the school?

GENESIS
No, but everybody knew he did it.

RASHAD
Did he admit to it?

GENESIS
No. Why do you keep asking all these questions?

RASHAD
Trying to figure out how everybody was so sure he raped her,
if the girl never came forward.

GENESIS
You think I’m lying?

RASHAD
No but if nothing was confirmed by either an arrest,
conviction or the girl coming forward, then all it was, was a
campus rumor.

GENESIS
Campus rumor?

RASHAD
Yeah, that’s what things are when they are not grounded in
truth.

GENESIS
You’re defending a rapist?
 41.

RASHAD
I’m not defending anybody. But there’s nothing factual saying
he actually did it. No court records. Victims statements.

GENESIS
Wow. Just wow. I’m telling you she told me herself and you
are still talking about you need more proof.

RASHAD
You can’t believe everything you hear Gen.

GENESIS
This isn’t something I heard. This is something I know. The
only reason she didn’t come forward was because she didn’t
want the backlash. It never ends well for women who speak up
against men, particularly men who everybody love and respect.
We are taught to protect our brothers, even if behind close
doors they are killing us. That’s unity. She said all she
wanted to do was just graduate in May and get college over
with. Trust me I wanted to. I told her I was going to. But
she pleaded with me to never tell anybody. 11 years I kept
that in to protect her.

RASHAD
What did she say happen?

GENESIS
She initially didn’t say anything. We had a class together.
Our professor had paired us on a project around the time it
happened. Every time we were supposed to work on it she would
flake on me. I eventually went to her dorm to confront her. I
wasn’t getting an F because of her. I went in there all
angry and stuff, when she broke down and told me why she was
so distant.

RASHAD is silent in deep thought or

rather remembering something that
deeply affected him. Silence.

GENESIS
Why are you so quiet?
 42.

RASHAD
Thinking about some things.

GENESIS
Like?

RASHAD
I hear what you saying, but going through what I went
through, I don’t like putting things on people without
knowing for sure.

GENESIS
He did this. I’m giving you facts, straight from his victims
mouth.

RASHAD
Calm down. I’m just saying, that while it can be true,
sometimes people lie and those lies can ruin someone’s life.

GENESIS
Lie? You cannot be serious. Who lies about getting raped
Rashad?

RASHAD
Don’t act like it hasn’t happened.

GENESIS
The percentage of false rape allegations is super small. Come
on now.

RASHAD
And in that percentage, however small, are innocent men.

GENESIS burst into laughter from

shock.

GENESIS
I cannot believe this. I cannot believe this. You are
defending a rapist. A rapist Rashad?

GENESIS grabs the blanket folds and

refolds it.
 43.

RASHAD
No I’m not. I’m saying, I’ve been there. When you’re popular
on campus like Kashif was back then, all types of people come
at you. And if you’re a guy, women mannnn, they like
vultures. You make one wrong move with them. Reject them,
something like that. They make up all types of lies about
you.

GENESIS
Well I believe all women.

RASHAD
You believe all women?

GENESIS
Yes. I believe them first.

RASHAD
About anything?

GENESIS
Just about.

RASHAD
So you would’ve believed the girl that lied on me? You
would’ve been in the group of people that vilified me before
the truth came out?

Pause.

GENESIS
She was wrong to lie you.

RASHAD
You think?

GENESIS
I’m just saying, that people never give women the benefit of
the doubt. Men, they can do something so callous and
egregious, and the whole world will come to their defense the
first time.
 44.

It takes thousands of women coming out the woodwork, for

people to finally say, “you know what, he might be lying.”
But us, we never get that. And I just feel it is my duty as a
woman, to uplift other women in that way.

RASHAD
It didn’t take a thousand for me. Just one. One who was mad I
ended things. Then all of sudden the police coming to my
apartment arresting me for domestic battery cause she said I
beat her up. And by the time they figured out it was a lie,
my football scholarship was gone, no other schools wanted to
touch me, and I ended up back here a failure.

GENESIS
A what?

RASHAD
Nothing was more embarrassing than having to come back to
Chicago with my hat in my hand, having to tell my mother what
happened. Folks laughing at me and shaking they head, “All
his mama used to do was brag about him. Now look at him.
Nigga blew it. A failure.”

GENESIS
You’re not a failure Rashad.

RASHAD
I see it in her eyes sometimes. From first playing football
in Pop-Warner when I was five till college, me and mama would
talk about everything I was going to do for her. Pay her way
back through medical school so she could be that doctor she
gave up for me when daddy died. I see the disappointment when
she look at me sometimes. She thinking of what life could’ve
been if only...

GENESIS
You bounced back baby. Came here, did a year at Daley City
College. Transferred to UIC. Got your Bachelor’s. You ain’t a
failure. Bought a house for you, your mom and daughter. Your
mom pays no bills. She works because she wants to.
 45.

That floral shop gives her meaning. That’s her gift. The way
she works magic on them arrangements. That’s home for her,
not prison cause you didn’t make it to the NFL. I can count
on one hand how many young black fire fighters there are in
this city. And you’re one of them.

RASHAD
That ain’t no honor. The shit I have to put up with. They
still wondering how a young black man like me made it through
the cracks. Act like I’m some type of disease. Don’t want to
bunk with me. Gotta hear all this racist shit. One day I’m
walking toward the kitchen I hear, “Riggs, if you had a
choice between saving a dog and a nigga, who you got?” “Is
that even a question, the dog.” All the guys standing around
laughing. I make it to the door. Silence. They walk out. One
of em’ as he leaves, “they just talking shit Shad. Jokes.
Just Jokes. They don’t mean nothing by it.” But that’s
honorable?

GENESIS
I’m sorry you have to put up with that baby. But that’s on
them, not you. Let them stay mad they threw every hurdle your
way, and you still came out on top.

RASHAD
I just feel like life should be different...

GENESIS
If life were different, there would be no us. You’d probably
be off in the NFL somewhere, having all white girl yacht
parties like Kyrie Irving.

RASHAD
He plays basketball.

GENESIS
All y’all athletes the same.

RASHAD
This one ain’t. He would’ve been focused on winning a
Lombardi at the Super Bowl, his daughter, his mother and his
wife.
 46.

GENESIS
While that’s an awesome dream to have, just know I am
perfectly happy with my ripped and tight firefighter.

RASHAD
You finally admit.

GENESIS
What?

RASHAD
I was ripped and tight.

GENESIS
A smidge. But that ain’t what got me tho.

RASHAD
What was it?

GENESIS
That beard. Lawd black men and beards just do something to
me. Mm-mm-mm.

RASHAD is feeling himself and his

beard.

GENESIS
Although, I probably should ask you to shave one good time
before we actually get married. Make sure you look as good
without it. Cause, some of y’all without them beards be
looking like Bobby Brown. And I’m not trying to take that
chance.

RASHAD
Oh you talking about how you look without make up?

GENESIS
Don’t play with me.

RASHAD bust up laughing.

RASHAD
Don’t come for me unless you want me to come for you.
 47.

GENESIS
Stoopid.

GENESIS hits him one last time. A

moment.

RASHAD
Come here.

RASHAD pats to his lap. GENESIS

sits on it.

RASHAD
Nah but fareal thank you. I needed to hear that. And its not
that I don’t believe the girl’s story, I just know what
something like that did to my life. And the world is hard on
brothas enough. I just never want to tear another black man
down.

GENESIS
This isn’t a “reason” to tear a black man down Shad. I know
for a fact, she wasn’t lying. You should’ve seen her when she
was telling me what happened. Her tears may as well been
blood dripping from eyes, she was filled with so much hurt.

RASHAD
You know whatever happened to her?

GENESIS
No we lost touch.

RASHAD
Well if that happened to her, I hope wherever she is, she’s
good.

GENESIS
Yeah. Me too. So, what do you want to do tonight?

GENESIS refolds the blanket. Pause.

RASHAD
I still feel we should go to the concert.
 48.

GENESIS
Did you not hear anything I just said?

RASHAD
I did. But we can go and leave after Nola.

GENESIS
Rashad going period is saying we support rapists.

RASHAD
No it doesn’t. If this was election day and he was running
for mayor. Then sure. Let’s boycott. Let’s fight the power.
Call Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. We don’t want a rapist
as mayor. But this is a concert Gen. It ain’t worth marching
over baby. Chill.

Pause.

GENESIS
Oh?

RASHAD
Here we go.

GENESIS
If the girl Kashif did that to was Munch would it be worth
marching over?

RASHAD
Don’t go there.

GENESIS
No. Answer me. What if it was Munch?

RASHAD
Don’t bring my daughter into this.

GENESIS
Oh, I see. Struck a nerve.

RASHAD gets up.

 49.

RASHAD
I’mma go. You tripping.

RASHAD goes to get his things to

leave. GENESIS tries to stop him.

GENESIS
No stay and answer me.

RASHAD
Gen move.

GENESIS
Would it be just a concert if he held Munch down and
penetrated her while she screamed stopped until her voice and
body gave out--

RASHAD
Stop talking about my fucking daughter! That shit wouldn’t
happen because if a muthafucka tried he would be dead. Move!

GENESIS
But that woman doesn’t matter because she isn’t your
daughter?

RASHAD
Call me when you calm down.

GENESIS
How about I don’t call at all.

RASHAD
Whatever.

RASHAD grabs his things and takes

the envelope with the tickets. He
heads for the door.

GENESIS
Oh before you go, be sure to tell my rapist hello for me
while you’re jamming to all 4 of his platinum albums. Have
fun.
 50.

RASHAD
Hold up, he did that to you?

GENESIS
Get out.

RASHAD
If that’s something that happened to you, you need to tell
me.

GENESIS
I said get out.

GENESIS pushes him toward the door.

RASHAD
No answer my question.

GENESIS
I said get out!

GENESIS now starts to push him more

aggressively toward the door.

RASHAD
Answer me Genesis.

GENESIS pushes him even more

aggressively toward the door.

RASHAD
I said answer me!

He grabs her hands to stop. She

rips them away from his grasp.

RASHAD
Did he do that to you?

GENESIS
Get out of my face.
 51.

RASHAD
Not until you answer my question. I need to know whether he
did that to you.

GENESIS
Why? So you don’t have to feel guilty about all his albums
you bump when I’m not around? So you don’t have to feel
guilty about how you sat up here and defended him like you
were defending the Constitution? No. I’m not gonna tell you
anything different to clear your conscious. I want you to sit
with that. Sit with every word. Every. Fucking. Word you just
said to me.

RASHAD
So it...it....it... wasn’t some random girl it was you?

RASHAD is in disbelief.

RASHAD
I asked you earlier did he do something to you and you said
no. Why did you lie? Did you know this wouldn’t have even
been an issue?

GENESIS
Ah see. All you men are the same. The fucking same. The
issues don’t matter unless it’s your “daughter, girl or
mother.” Oh no, us being humans worthy of compassion is not
enough. See if I didn’t have a father, son or man, I would
care about black men who die in the street, like Michael
Brown, like Trayvon Martin, like Eric Garner, like Freddie
Gray, like Alton Sterling, like Laquan McDonald, simply
because they are human. Simply because their lives did not
deserve to be taken. But us, no, we are never believed the
first time. We gotta be interrogated by y’all like some
crooked detective on a case trying to get a confession. What
were you doing? Huh? What were you wearing? Huh? What do you
want from him because obviously your only motive is to bring
a “brotha” down.

RASHAD
Baby I am sorry. That is on me. Look, every single song.
Every single fucking song I am deleting out of my library
right now.
 52.

RASHAD deletes all KASHIF’s music

off his phone.

RASHAD
Look. It’s all gone.

GENESIS
I don’t care. You said exactly what you meant. I’m not worth
marching over. We black girls and women never really are. We
are always told that some men, little black girl, are more
important than your protection. This is exactly why I didn’t
tell the administration. I’m sure they would’ve told me the
same thing if I went against their beloved Kashif. You
Genesis Marie Washington aren’t worth marching over.

A moment.

RASHAD
Gen--

RASHAD tries to touch and comfort

her.

GENESIS
Don’t touch me. See this is why it bothers me I didn’t tell
my babies about Muhammad Ali. Cause you know what, if Floyd
wins that fight, I’mma feel exactly what his son’s mother is
gonna feel. Folks gon’ be talking about how great he is, he
gon be flaunting his millions on the gram, showing off his
belt, and her voice is just gonna get swallowed up and
forgotten. She just gon have to sit back and watch the world
cheer for the same man that has broken her body and spirit.
And anybody brave enough to speak her name, just a little
bit, will be shot down with claims that their being divisive,
that their traitors to the race, that they hate black men and
are trying to tear a brotha down like the white folks. And
you know, that part, doesn’t even hurt me the most. I’ve bore
that 11 years. What hurts the most is one day, she might
really find a man she loves. Have all the faith in the world,
that this brotha, this brotha is different. Only to find out
in that same crowd of cheers, he’s standing there.

Pause.
 53.

RASHAD
Baby I am sorry. I am sorry. A million times I am sorry. I--

GENESIS
Take this.

GENESIS takes the ring off and

hands it to him.

RASHAD
I’m not taking that.

GENESIS
Whether you take it or not, I don’t want it.

GENESIS sits it down and walks off.

RASHAD
Baby. Baby. Bab-

GENESIS goes in her room and slams

the bedroom door. RASHAD is left
alone with the weight of what he
has done. Fill this moment with
whatever emotions and action the
actor thinks is necessary. After he
calms down, he fidgets with his
bracelet. A moment. He gets himself
together and goes to the bedroom
door. It’s locked.

RASHAD
I’m not leaving until you come out here and talk to me.

No answer.

RASHAD
Nothing is gonna get solved if we don’t talk this shit out.
That’s why relationships fail. Lack of communication. I’m not
letting us fail. Not if I can help it.

No response.
 54.

RASHAD
Gen just...just open the door baby.

No response.

RASHAD
Fine. You win. I’mma go. But I’m coming back later and we
figuring this out.

RASHAD gets up, pretends to leave

out the front door, closing it. He
hides. A moment. GENESIS peeks her
head out. She thinks it clear then
comes out. RASHAD pops up startling
her.

RASHAD
Gen, I messed up.

GENESIS
Oh my God! Why don’t you leave already!? I told you. I want
nothing to do with you.

RASHAD
Because when you love someone you don’t leave. You never let
the sun set on your anger. You figure it out then and there,
so there’s no lingering feelings of resentment or any of that
other shit.

GENESIS
Oh so now you’re a communications expert? After you failed to
effectively communicate for over 45 minutes. You real funny.

RASHAD
I said I was wrong Genesis. I admitted that.

GENESIS
And now you can go.

RASHAD
What can I do to make this better?
 55.

GENESIS
You really wanna know?

RASHAD
Yes, I really wanna know.

GENESIS
Open the door.

RASHAD
Genesis.

GENESIS
No this will help. I promise.

RASHAD reluctantly opens the door.

GENESIS
Now stand on the other side.

GENESIS waits for him to stand on

the other side. He doesn’t.

GENESIS
I’m waiting for you to stand on the other side so I can tell
you how to fix this.

RASHAD
I know what you’re gonna say. So no. Genesis, some of us
learn the hard way. Sometimes saying the stove is hot ain’t
enough. Some of us gotta feel the heat against our skin to
learn not touch it again. Teachable moments. That’s what
they’re called. That’s what I needed. And I need you to
continue to teach me to--

GENESIS
I’m not wasting time on anymore men who need teachable
moments. It is not my job to teach to you! That’s the
problem. The burden is always on the woman to teach. Always
carrying, always hauling, always educating men who don’t care
to learn anyway. Because you know what? After you take them
back, they make the same fucking mistakes. I’m too old for
this shit. We’re in our 30s not twenties or teenagers.
 56.

I want somebody who gets it. Somebody who already knows.

Somebody I don’t have to teach. Education is my profession. I
don’t want to do it at home.

RASHAD
And you know that man you get that already knows, somebody
taught him. He learned because he dropped the ball maybe 10,
20 times before you. And finally, on woman 21 he makes the
better decision. Because those other women taught him. You
don’t come out the womb knowing this shit Genesis.

GENESIS
Don’t you see that as a problem? Why do women have to always
be your fucking casualties to getting it? And don’t give me
that women mature faster than men bullshit, that’s an excuse.
We all have brains with the same amount of intelligence.

RASHAD
I don’t know Gen. We value men more than women. It’s not a
conscious thing, its just something we do. That’s the way
society has set things up.

GENESIS
Set up? You act like we live in some type of place with no
free will. We have the right to make choices. Different
choices every day. I do not drink, why?

RASHAD
Alcoholism runs in your family.

GENESIS
Bingo. I made a different choice. You don’t have to accept
the “set-up.” You having a daughter, and loving your mom so
much I just knew you would’ve understood.

RASHAD
I understand now.

GENESIS
Good. Now treat woman 21 better. Goodbye.

RASHAD is not budging.

 57.

RASHAD
No. You had a second anniversary gift for me. Not leaving
until I get it.

GENESIS
It’s unnecessary now.

RASHAD
Where is it?

GENESIS
I said it’s unnecessary.

RASHAD looks around for it.

RASHAD
Where is it?

GENESIS
Why won’t you just leave?

RASHAD finds a box underneath the

kitchen sink. GENESIS tries to
snatch it from it.

GENESIS
Give it here.

They go back and forth over it. A

football, gift paper and baby
onesie fall out. RASHAD picks up
the onesie and reads it.

RASHAD
“I’m Daddy’s 1st Round Draft Pick.”

GENESIS is silent. RASHAD looks at

her knowing what this means.
Silence.

RASHAD
Just knew I had the best gift. But this...
 58.

He picks up the football and

surveys both things.

RASHAD
I already got my princess in Munch. It would be nice to have
a boy this time around. Every man wishes to have at least one
boy so he could see what a miniature him would look like. I
can see it now.

RASHAD acts as if he is watching

his future son play ball on the
sidelines. He’s super into it.

RASHAD
Junior catches the ball. He’s down the field at the 30. He’s
at the 20. Wait for it. Wait for it. Come on Junior! Touch
down baby! He got them golden feet just like his pops.

RASHAD beams with happiness at this

memory that hasn’t happened. He
twirls the football.

RASHAD
But if it’s a girl I’m fine with that too. Just means I’ll
have three task masters bossing me around with their hands on
their hips and neck rolling, talking about, “you heard me.”

RASHAD smiles and looks at GENESIS.

GENESIS is unmoved and silent.
RASHAD’s smile fades upon seeing
this.

RASHAD
We’ll figure it out.

GENESIS
There’s no we.

RASHAD
Well I don’t have kids and not raise them. Doctor’s
appointments. Births. First steps and words. I’m there. It’s
not an option.
 59.

GENESIS
No need for that. After today, I’m considering other things.

RASHAD
What other things?

GENESIS is silent. She tidys up the

mess he made opening the gift.

RASHAD
I just know you ain’t thinking about doing that Gen.
This argument is between me and you. Ain’t got nothing to do
with the...

Pause.

RASHAD
Gen, tell me you ain’t thinking bout that. Tell me that
thought ain’t cross your mind.

A moment.

RASHAD
Genesis!

GENESIS
When I found out a couple of weeks ago, I was excited. I know
I have my babies at work, and of course Munch too. But to
have one of my own. And not only that, with someone I just
knew was the love of my life... But today, today has brought
up so many bad memories for me. Memories that remind me we
are born into this world with eyes so trusting. So hopeful.
So bright. So full of life. Only for one tragedy to happen,
and everything in those eyes go dark. And I have to seriously
consider if I want to birth a child into this world only to
see their eyes go dim.

RASHAD
Their eyes won’t go dim. We will make sure of it.
 60.

GENESIS
I couldn't even assure myself of that. How am I gonna assure
a child of that? The only thing I can assure them is that
trouble will come. And if their a black woman, they'll have
only two choices in the face of that trouble. Be weak or
strong. That's what my project partner told me when she came
to my room irate. Ready to cuss me out. Then she looked in my
eyes and knew. She knew because the same thing had happened
to her. Not by him, but somebody else her sophomore year. She
said, I'mma tell you what my mother told me. You could either
be weak or strong. Being depressed is weak. Crying is weak.
Worrying is weak. We are black women, we are not weak. We
woman up, and carry our own weight. So you can either be weak
or strong, your choice. And I chose the latter, even though
for 11 years my knees buckled from that weight. And my only
solace. My only sanity. My only reason I have not drowned in
the treacherous waters of this life is because of this
blanket. This old blanket my mother made me bring down to
school. It's for days you don't want a big comforter she
said. Ma, no. I'm in college not pre-school. She ignored me,
folded it up and put it in my stuff. Every year she packed
this blanket. All four years. Never knew senior year how
tight me and this raggedy thing would be.

RASHAD
That folding and refolding wasn’t OCD was it?

GENESIS
No. It was the only thing I had to depend on in this world
for comfort, since we are never allowed option 3.

RASHAD
What is that?

GENESIS
An option that yes I’m a black woman, but I’m not strong
24/7. That I have vulnerabilities and just because I need
help carry them from time to time, does not make me weak but
human.
 61.

A moment. RASHAD writes something

on the envelope with the tickets,
then walks over to her.

RASHAD
I got a lot to work on. Didn’t realize that until today.
Thought I had it all together. But nah today you came in like
the light. Shining in all the places I was dark. And now that
you illuminated all my dark places, I have no choice but to
become the light too. May I have your blanket in exchange for
this?

He tries to hand it to GENESIS. She

refuses to take it.

GENESIS
Rashad just go.

RASHAD
Just look at it.

GENESIS
I am tired of fighting. Please go.

RASHAD
It says, "Cash in your blanket for Option 3. Valid From This
Day Forth Until Eternity." You said you were given two
options. Well that's option three. An option that says, you
don't have to carry the weight alone anymore. I got part of
it from now on. Make it easier on you. And every time you
have the urge to reach for that blanket, you take this out
and hand it to me. I promise to give you what the blanket
could not. You tired from life and need me to carry you, I
got you. Them bad memories come up and you need somebody to
chase them away, I got you. You just want to cry and be held,
I got you. Wanna talk about your fears, your pains, whatever
it is you need, I got you.

RASHAD tries to hand her the

envelope again. She doesn’t take
it.
 62.

GENESIS
It is not that easy Rashad. It is not that easy.

RASHAD
I don't expect it to be. But an imperfect start is better
than perfect apathy. And I got plans for my imperfect start
Gen. Most importantly, getting you and anybody else
victimized by him justice. And holding my boys and other men
around me accountable for loving and fighting for y’all, the
same way y’all love and fight for us. But before I can work
on the world, I gotta work on me. That's being a better
father to Munch so she feels cherished in a world that does
not embrace her. That’s being a better son to mama so she
knows not a single sacrifice she made as a single mother and
black woman, was taken for granted. That's preparing my mind
and heart for the new baby, so the moment they enter this
world they will know what it feels like to be held in the
arms of love. And lastly, that’s being the man for you I
should’ve been from the jump. Please accept this for your
blanket and tell me what you need from me.

RASHAD tries to hand her the

envelope. She doesn’t take it. A
moment.

GENESIS
I’m not there yet.

A moment.

RASHAD
Then this will be here until you are.

RASHAD sets the envelope down.

Before he leaves he looks back at
GENESIS hoping she changes her
mind. She does not. A moment.
RASHAD exits. GENESIS allows
whatever emotion that comes, come.
She tries to let the blanket go
once. She can’t. She tries again.
She can’t.
 63.

She holds the blanket close, and

touches her belly. A moment. She
gets the courage to finally lay her
blanket down, and picks up the
envelope clinging to it for dear
life. She looks at the door. NOLA
ADE - Cool plays. Lights fade.

END OF PLAY.